Depression

Depression

Signs and Symptoms

1. Feeling of sadness or pessimism that don’t get away.
2. Feeling of worthlessness, hopelessness, guilt or despair.
3. Loss of interest and pleasure in work, relations, food, sex, or other aspects of life.
4. Fatigue and lack of energy.
5. Sleep problems such as insomnia, oversleeping, or repeatedly waking before dawn.
6. Difficulty remembering, concentrating, making decisions, and completing simple tasks; a feeling of moving in slow motion.
7. Frequently occurring thoughts of suicide or death.
8. Distressing physical ailments-such as headaches or stomach pain that don’t get better with treatment.
9. Unusual weight gain or loss.

What to do now

1. Get professional help from a specialist.
2. Get support from people who will treat you with respect and consideration.
3. Educate yourself about depression. There is a lot of information available through internet.

When to call a doctor

1. If you, your child, or someone close to you has suicidal thoughts or depression that doesn’t seem to lift.
2. If depression is seriously disrupting your work, school, or relationships. Psychologists, psychiatrists work with people suffering from depression.
3. They often take radically different approaches to treatment, including individual psychotherapy (“talk therapy”) and antidepressant medication.

How to prevent it

1. Try not to isolate yourself.
2. When you’re feeling blue, find a friend or someone with whom you’re comfortable and talk about what’s bothering you.
3. Stay active. Research shows that regular exercise can improve your mood.
4. Be sure to get enough sleep.
5. Eat balanced meals.

Posted in: Health Tips